Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin heads a coalition to oppose an attempt by Wal-Mart to open a store at Rego Park, Queens. Mr. McLaughlin, 52, is also president of the New York Central Labor Council, an umbrella group of more than 350 local unions. On Friday he spoke with The New York Sun’s Daniela Gerson.

Q.There were reports last year that you were considering a run for mayor. Why did you decide not to run?

A. If there was a compelling reason why I should consider doing something else to advance the aims and aspirations of the people I feel a commitment to, working people of New York City, I would consider it. But I certainly wouldn’t consider it without knowing a strong consensus existed between the people I have dedicated a lifetime working for, the leaders of the trade-union movement. … From a personal perspective, I see the vehicle to advance the things I believe most strongly in is by being an effective president of the New York City Central Labor Council.

When will you reveal whom you are endorsing for mayor?

I would say in all likelihood we will try and advance an agenda that puts us in a position not to endorse any candidate for mayor until at least after the Democratic primary has concluded.

What will be the most important issues for labor in the upcoming mayoral election?

I think first the economy. Education is going to be a huge issue because, as you know, the mayor’s put a tremendous amount of his capital into reforming the education system in the city of New York, and so far we think the results have been less than compelling. And the results have been coupled with the fact that the mayor has refused to advance a contract for the teachers…. Then there’s health care, and not balancing the budget on the backs of working people. You can also go into the public safety unions, too. There are a whole lot of people that tipped their hats to them on September 11, but pay no regard to the fact that many of these workers are without a prospect for long periods of time now.

What do you think the prospects are these contract negotiations will be resolved before the election?

The mayor made me believe with his public comments that he was very close to negotiating a contract with the teachers, and then he in private comments he made to me clearly said they were very, very close to getting it done, and now here we are seemingly miles apart again. Which tells me that there are forces at work here in the mayor’s administration that simply want to use the teachers as the focal point or the battering ram to defend some of their own weaknesses. And we simply can’t tolerate that. We sent a letter to the mayor saying despite your public comments, your private comments, you’ve got to stand up now and provide the leadership.

As leader of the coalition to stop Wal-Mart, is your goal to keep Wal-Mart out of New York or is it to unionize Wal-Mart?

I’d love to unionize Wal-Mart. Our goal is to unionize anyone, but I think our position with regard to Wal-Mart is, look, we’re living in a city where continually we hear there’s not enough money to provide the very basic and essential services that are relevant to ourselves and our futures. We don’t have enough money for education. We don’t have enough money to do a lot of things we would like to support: our public safety officers and our teachers, and give them a fair contract. We don’t have enough money for any of those things. So, is it good public policy then, to bring in someone to our community who is going to further erode jobs, eliminate a lot of the people who are paying state and local taxes, who is going to shift the health care burden onto the backs of the taxpayers?

Many would argue Wal-Mart would provide jobs, generate tremendous sales, and offer low prices that would benefit low-wage earners greatly.

Let’s just think of it this way: They pay a substandard wage, they don’t provide any pension, they don’t provide any health care, and they squeeze their manufacturers to outsource to the cheapest corners of the world. Are they going to do all those things and then have the lowest prices in town? Or are they going to do all those things and, once they have you, raise the prices and then add that to the list of things they do to the community …? I think the answer’s clear.

I’ve heard a lot about what’s wrong with Wal-Mart, but how are you going to actually stop Wal-Mart?

The first question is where is Wal-Mart looking to go in? Is there zoning or some government land process that needs to take place before Wal-Mart or another entity can move into the community? Is Wal-Mart looking to move into a community where key business leaders, labor leaders, and religious clergy can go with their elected officials to the developer and make a plea to forgo the temptation of leasing the space to Wal-Mart, to tell them you can do better by bringing someone else into the community? There are a million ways we can win. Certainly, there are as many conditions where Wal-Mart can and will succeed. Our goal is to form a coalition, wage an educational campaign, and use our political influence.

Until a few years ago labor maintained an anti-immigration political stance? Does there remain tension between union members and, say, undocumented immigrants who’ll do similar work for subminimum wage?

Obviously, that’s where the internal fight over what should be the immigration policy of the labor movement begins: the simple concept that these people come here, whether they’re documented or undocumented, willing to work for less than I do, and they’re going to take away my job. The mindset of that culture prevailed in too many corners of the trade movement for too many years. … I think what’s happened over time is that we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to advance and protect and preserve our own standards is lifting all boats, and welcoming our new neighbors.

Then when union members complain these immigrants are driving down wages, how do you respond?

Let’s organize and raise their wages. There’s never enough organizing taking place in this city from my perspective, from our perspective.